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Speaking of that, why have the last two books been given covers completely unrelated to the series? Alvin doesn't levitate himself!! He and Peggy don't make a fireball!!! Stop with the false advertising, already!

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It's never necessary that a book cover depict an actual scene from the book. Putting in a scene that instead symbolizes aspects of the book or represents what the book is about are pretty much standard.

That said, I really wish they'd stop giving them covers that make them look like romance novels. I mean, come on. A topless, muscular man holding a woman in an old-fashioned dress? Yeah, that makes it look like a book men would enjoy.
 

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Posted by Peter Howell (Member # 8072) on :
 

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Originally posted by Verily the Younger:
Putting in a scene that instead symbolizes aspects of the book or represents what the book is about are pretty much standard.

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Then could somebody please explain to me what the cover of the Chinese version fo Xenocide (current on the front page of hatrack) is all about? Is that supposed to be Han Fe-Tzu (sp?)? And is that a Dragon in his hands?
 

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Posted by Dog Walker (Member # 8301) on :
 
"That said, I really wish they'd stop giving them covers that make them look like romance novels. I mean, come on. A topless, muscular man holding a woman in an old-fashioned dress? Yeah, that makes it look like a book men would enjoy." - Verily the Younger

I also agree that many of the Alvin books have covers that should go on romance novels, though I don't think the auther has much say for what goes on the cover. But its still hard to take a book with a half naked man to school.
 

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Posted by CRash (Member # 7754) on :
 
Yes, considering all of the books except Seventh Son have half-naked men on them. My mom even raised her eyebrow when I bought them (Prentice Alvin in particular), like "What are you reading?"
 

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Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
 
"Speaking of that, why have the last two books been given covers completely unrelated to the series? Alvin doesn't levitate himself!! He and Peggy don't make a fireball!!! Stop with the false advertising, already!" -Brian P

Those last two books were done by a different illustrator, but still...it's annoying.

Plus on the first book Taleswapper isn't bald. >:-S

BTW, I always thought Alvin was jumping off a building on the sixth cover. Thanks for spoiling the last 100 pages for me. I thought maybe he'd finally give up and let the Unmaker win. Oh well, doesn't matter I guess.
 

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Posted by CRash (Member # 7754) on :
 
I personally think there'd be more of a market for the Alvin series in the teenage-fantasy department if new versions of the covers could up the magic aspect rather than the bare-skin aspect.
 

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Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
 
"Whaddya mean weird? It's just a picture of a guy who runs a boardinghouse.... What's weird about that? " -Papa Moose

HAHAHA! I didn't get that until I saw who wrote it.
 

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Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
 
"I personally think there'd be more of a market for the Alvin series in the teenage-fantasy department if new versions of the covers could up the magic aspect rather than the bare-skin aspect." -Crash

This is like my third post in two minutes but who cares. I almost didn't start reading the series because half of them had close to naked guys on the covers. I was like 'Just what ARE these books about?'

Good thing I decided to read them anyway. They are so...AMAZING! But White Prophet and Master Alvin won't come out for...like...EVER!
 

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Posted by Verily the Younger (Member # 6705) on :
 
Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I wonder how many guys have opted not to read that series because of all the half-naked men on the covers. They could be hurting sales!

One more reason to abandon cover art altogether and just go back to having blank leather covers.
 

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Posted by BryanP (Member # 7772) on :
 
Ummmm....what's White Prophet?? I thought Master Alvin was the next and last...
 

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Posted by TheSeeingHand (Member # 8349) on :
 
"Ummmm....what's White Prophet?? I thought Master Alvin was the next and last..."

I'll lay it out for you...

Seventh Son
Red Prophet
Prentice Alvin
Alvin Journeyman
Heartfire
Grinning Man*
White Prophet* (forthcoming)
The Yazoo Queen*
The Crystal City
Master Alvin (forthcoming)

*short story

I've heard that when White Prophet is written, all 3 short stories will be published in one volume. If you don't want to wait (like me) you can read Grinning Man in 'Legends' and The Yazoo Queen in 'Legends 2.' Both Legends book are groups of short stories by different authors put together by Robert Silverberg.
 

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